Example embodiments of the inventive concepts relate to image sensors and, more particularly, to image sensors with improved optical characteristics.
An image sensor is configured to convert an optical image (e.g., incident light that is incident on one or more portions of the image sensor from an external environment) into an electrical signal. As computer and communication industries have been developed, high-performance image sensors have been increasingly demanded in various fields such as digital cameras, camcorders, personal communication systems (PCS), game consoles, security cameras, and medical micro cameras.
Image sensors may be categorized as any one of charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. CMOS image sensors may be simply driven. A CMOS image sensor may be realized (“implemented”) as a single, individual chip on which a signal processing circuit and an image sensing part are integrated. Thus, a size of the CMOS image sensor may be reduced. Moreover, a CMOS image sensor may have very low power consumption so as to be configured to be easily applied to a product having a limited battery capacity. Furthermore, a CMOS image sensor may have high image sensing resolution based on the development of a CMOS technique. Accordingly, CMOS image sensors are widely used in various fields.